DEP worker accused of tampering with NYC's water Eyewitness News Exclusive WABC By Jim Hoffer (New York - WABC, January 5, 2007) - A worker with the New York Department of Environmental Protection is under investigation for allegedly tampering with equipment that chlorinates a reservoir serving more than eight million New Yorkers. Police sources tell us that the city's Department of Investigation used a surveillance camera to catch the DEP worker. He was initially suspended for a month, but now he's back at a desk job pending the outcome of an internal investigation. Some officers who protect the city's water supply say that's an outrage. There is no more important reservoir in New York because it provides water to nearly 9 million city residents. And it's inside the reservoir's water treatment building that DEP police sources tell us a worker was caught tampering with chlorination equipment. "The brass of the DEP police were looking to squash it and not have it really be known," a DEP officer said. And the public may have never known if not for these DEP officers, who asked that we not reveal their identities for fear of being fired. These officers claim a serious security breach occurred several months ago when they say a disgruntled worker tampered with the water chlorinating equipment. Their claim is backed up by an internal e-mail from the DEP police chief alerting certain officers of "incidents of suspected tampering of the chlorine cylinders." "Chlorine on its own is a deadly gas, it is one of the deadliest gases out there, so just in terms of chlorine leak would be a danger to residents, chlorine is also used to purify New York's water supply," a DEP officer said. The DEP in a statement to Eyewitness News says, "The employee in question was immediately removed from any contact with water supply facilities, suspended for 30 days, and assigned to administrative duties pending completion of an internal investigation." State Senator Jeffrey Klein (D-The Bronx): "I feel that person should be fired immediately." This state senator led the push for tougher water security measures. He says if what the DEP police sources say is true, then the law has been broken. Hoffer: "Is that a crime?" Sen. Klein: "Absolutely, this is someone who clearly through their job had access to chlorine and things that treat our water and that person breached their public trust." The DEP is currently on probation for past environmental crimes. A court-appointed monitor has federal oversight to ensure no other laws are broken, perhaps a reason for the agency to down play this alleged tampering incident. "I hope for their sake this is not something that breaches their agreement with the EPA through the federal mandate but at the same time this is a signal that they have to do a better job," State Senator Klein said. The Department of Investigation shared their findings with federal prosecutors, but that office has declined to comment. The DEP says it is continuing its investigation into the incident and when completed will determine any disciplinary action. (Copyright 2006 WABC-TV) http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=local <http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=local&id=4910139> &id=4910139 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. 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